As I started to type this Saturday night, the call to prayer started to pump out of the Blue Mosque, right across from our hotel’s patio. It’s really loud. There are six minarets at the mosque equipped with several speakers on each.

How loud it is can be a topic to reflect upon at 5:45am when the first call goes out. The power went out Sunday morning and we wondered if the early call would still go out. It was like having a speaker set in the room with us.

I had typed a bit about religion and decided I just don’t want to get into it. Why? Basically I just think there’s a lot more I need to understand, and a whole lot I will just never agree with.

Istanbul is a beautiful, very Westernized city with the feel of other larger European cities. I really loved spending time here. Partially because it brings something different to the table — Islamic daily life. If you haven’t been, put it on your list.

Because I agonized over this post for over an hour at the airport lounge, I’ve run out of time to do a report on what we were up to here. I’ll put a couple pictures below and try to get a better report out later. Probably after I get back home (which I’m pretty excited about, a little travel weary).

Stunning and amazing Aya Sofya, former church, former mosque, now museum.

With the Bosphorus Strait behind me. Ferry cruise up the strait, near the Black Sea, on the Asian side of Istanbul.